China criticises Uyghur Tribunal over investigating human rights abuses in Xinjiang
Sep 11, 2021
Beijing [China], September 11 : China has criticised the Uyghur Tribunal -- an independent UK-based panel -- over investigating human rights abuses in Xinjiang and said it has nothing to do with law, justice, or truth.
China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian during a news conference in Beijing on Thursday said that no matter how many 'actors or actresses' Uyghur Tribunal recruits and how many 'hearings' it arranges, it is nothing but a kangaroo court and a futile attempt, Voice of America (VOA) reported on Saturday.
"It has nothing to do with law, justice or truth, and is just another farce staged to smear and attack Xinjiang," Zhao added.
Uyghur Tribunal is a panel of Britain-based lawyers and rights experts examining human rights violations and reports of genocide in China's Xinjiang region.
In June, the "tribunal" heard nearly 38 witnesses during the first round of hearings in London.
According to Nick Vetch, vice-chair of the tribunal, it's led by Sir Geoffrey Nice, a prominent lawyer and expert in international criminal law, the nine "jurors" include academics, medical and business practitioners.
China has been accused of suppressing Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang and putting them into detention centres for years in the name of educational camps, VOA said.
The US as well as rights organisations like Amnesty International accused China of genocide and crimes against humanity targeting Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.
An advocacy organisation in Washington, the Uyghur Human Rights Project, issued a report in June describing and analysing videos released by the Chinese government about the personal and family lives of Uyghurs.
The 57-page report said that Chinese authorities force Uyghurs who have been detained to appear on camera and speak out against their relatives abroad, as well as against the broader movement calling for Uyghur human rights.
